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New York Man Sentenced to 150 Years in Prison for Child Abuse and Molestation

New York, NY(Law Firm Newswire) September 19, 2018 – A Hampton Bays, New York man was sentenced to a total of 150 years in prison after being convicted of child abuse and child molestation.

Jonathan Phillips, 35, will serve 125 years behind bars. The remainder of his sentence will be suspended with probation, according to a ruling issued by Superior Court Justice Netti C. Vogel. A Providence County Superior Court jury found Phillips guilty on one count of second-degree child abuse, six counts of first-degree child molestation and three counts of second-degree child molestation.

“Child abuse cases often tend to involve family members or adults in positions of trust with children,” commented Peter Brill, a New York criminal defense attorney with Brill Legal Group, who is not involved with the case. “In such cases, the seriousness of child abuse charges and any corresponding punishments may depend on the minor’s age at the time of the alleged incident. Other aspects that are taken into account include mental state and ability to give consent.”

Phillips was prohibited from contacting the victims and ordered to undergo sex offender counseling. If he were ever released, he would be subjected to lifetime GPS monitoring and sex offender community notification, according to Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin.

During a weeklong trial, the prosecution proved that Phillips molested girls he knew multiple times from 2011 to 2013. He was living with the mother of one of the victims in Rhode Island when the abuse occurred. Both girls were 10 years old when the molestation started.

The child abuse first came to light when one of the victims reported it to a teacher in January 2013. Following an investigation, the second girl said Phillips had molested her, too. Both girls testified at the trial and told the court in detail about the abuse and the number of times Phillips had sexually assaulted them.